A protest participant at Columbia University, one Tarek Bazrouk, who has previously made anti-Semitic pronouncements, is alleged to have connections with the militant group, Hamas al-Qassam Brigades, according to documents presented by federal authorities.
Bazrouk, aged 20, was part of a chat group receiving regular updates from Abu Obeida, the official spokesperson for the Hamas brigades. These reports, if accurate, would serve as the first instance of a protester obtaining information directly from Hamas and subsequently acting on it. Reports emphasize that Bazrouk is not a student at Columbia University, but a U.S. citizen born and raised in New York.
Federal court information alleges that Bazrouk would frequently wear a green headband similar to those worn by Hamas militants. He was also known to boast about his relatives overseas who were members of the group. During the April 2024 protests on the Columbia campus, he reportedly sent a text message to a friend, expressing a desire to start a fire, but cited the presence of numerous bystanders as a deterrent. Bazrouk was subsequently arrested near the campus in December on one of the charges related to the three attacks.
Questions are raised as to how Bazrouk managed to access private university property. At the same time, Columbia was inundated with masked anti-Israel protesters. The university called upon the New York Police Department to remove these individuals in April. NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban suggested that “professional outside agitators” were linked to the protests and eventual occupation of one of Columbia’s buildings.
According to the university, there is no record of Bazrouk’s presence on campus, and it vehemently denies any affiliation with him. In a statement, the university condemned anti-Semitism. Meanwhile, it has been reported that Hamas has bragged about having operatives on American university campuses. These claims were allegedly backed up by showing pictures of a freed hostage from the Columbia protests.
Further evidence suggests that Bazrouk’s cellphone was replete with pro-Hamas and pro-Hizballah propaganda. Federal prosecutors have reported finding a picture of the late al-Qassam Brigades founder, Yahya Sinwar, as well as other infamous figures. Additional text messages found on the phone depict Bazrouk allegedly expressing anti-Semitic sentiments. Prosecutors further alleged that Bazrouk traveled to the West Bank and Jordan during September and October 2024.
Despite these allegations, Bazrouk’s defense attorney, Andrew Dalack, has firmly rejected claims that his client has any connections with Hamas. Bazrouk was jailed in May after allegedly assaulting Jewish individuals in New York City. Each of the three counts against him holds a potential maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.